Toy Soldiers
by Felinae Silvestris
Summary: It's been almost a year since the War. Harry's concerning himself with catching the remaining Death Eaters, but when a former Death Eater turns up with a warning, Harry is up to his eyes in it. No chance of a quiet life, apparently. Not Slash! Canon.
1. The Meeting

A/N: So apparently the Harry Potter fandom has grabbed my with both hands and is refusing to let go. This is chapter 1 of one of the two fics I've been working on. This particular fic is set just about a year after the war, and is mostly canon for now. Expect fairly regular updates, at least until I find a job. Rating may go up, depending on where this particular plot takes me. Not much left to say, except enjoy and I appreciate critique muchly. Pairings aren't important for this fic, but if you really want to know - I'm sticking with canon so far so Ginny's with Harry and Ron's with Hermione.

Edit: you can tell it's been a while since I posted anything. - Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JKR does. Okay? Good.

* * *

**Chapter 1 - The Meeting**

A large blue ink drop landed on a sheet of parchment, as Harry chewed the end of his quill. He hadn't noticed though, he was staring straight ahead, lost in his own memories. They were not pleasant memories, the frown on his face was evidence enough of that. It was understandable perhaps, as it was almost a year to the most important day of his life. A year since Harry had defeated Lord Voldemort and saved the wizarding world. It was easier to dwell on what was lost, rather than consider what had been gained. Rationally, war always included some loss, some sacrifice for the greater good. It was no easier to bear, for knowing this, especially for Harry. If it hadn't been for these sacrifices, he might not have survived to complete the task set for him by Dumbledore.

It had been the story of his life, really. He thought of his parents, his father trying to protect his family. His mother, refusing to escape with her life for the sake of her young son. She gave her life, and saved his. Sirius, who'd run off to the Ministry to protect Harry, and been killed by his own cousin. Sirius had risked so much, after escaping Azkaban, just to be a godfather to him. Remus, and Tonks leaving their child to help in the battle, Fred who'd died with a smile on his face, little Colin Creevey who shouldn't have been there at all. Dumbledore, who had helped him so much, yet left him to work it all out for himself. There had been so much sacrifice, so much loss and even after that it was not finished with. They were still working on the clean up.

"Harry!" Ron shouted, pinching his friend hard.

"Huh?"

"Oh, you're still with us. Good. I've been trying to talk to you for five minutes! Lucius Malfoy wants to talk to you. He's out there right now!"

"Sorry, Ron, I was... What?" Harry looked up at his red-haired friend, startled.

"Lucius Malfoy is out there looking for you. He wants to talk, says it's important. Kingsley won't let him in unless you say it's okay."

Harry thought for a moment. He couldn't quite fathom why Lucius would wish to see him. He had intentionally left the Malfoy's alone, he no longer considered them Death Eaters. After all, they had essentially left the Dark Lord before his downfall. However, they were unlikely to become the best of friends considering the past, so Harry suspected this was anything but a social call. He decided to see what was going on. He wouldn't rest until he knew.

"Okay. I'll see Malfoy. But, you're coming with me, Ron."

"Right," the redhead said uncertainly.

"I don't trust him, Ron, Lucius Malfoy was always a slippery snake. I'd rather have a witness, or back up." Harry explained.

* * *

Harry and Ron waited outside the elevator on Level 2. They did not speak, but would occasionally glance at one another, looking worried. Whatever happened, Harry was sure that this was something to be reported to Hermione at the first chance. She liked to know what was going on, although at this time of year she would not appreciated being disturbed for trivial things. It was almost exam time at Hogwarts, and Hermione was scary at exam time.

"Level Two: Department of Magical Law Enforcement," the cool female voice rang out as the elevator doors opened, revealing a tall blonde man with a very different attitude from the last time Harry had seen him in this building. The arrogance was gone, indeed, Lucius Malfoy looked rather worn and tired now. 'Here we go,' Harry thought to himself, offering his hand for the other man to shake, out of sheer politeness.

"Good afternoon, Mr Malfoy. Shall we?" he said, turning to lead the visitor down the hall, into a nearby meeting room. Once Ron and Malfoy were inside, he closed the door. Harry indicated a chair, and took a seat at the other side of the table, with Ron sitting himself down on Harry's right.

"Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, Mr Potter." Lucius began, with a frown in Ron's direction. Harry hadn't missed the look.

"Anything you have to say to me, can be said in front of Mr Weasley," Harry pointed out casually.

"Of course." Lucius acknowledged the warning with a nod.

"Why are you here?" Harry asked.

"I have been hearing, ah... rumours. You have made a lot of changes, Mr Potter. I heard that you finally caught up with Rowle."

"That is correct. He's currently in Azkaban awaiting trial." Harry confirmed, waiting for Lucius to continue to explain why he was here.

"I appreciate your evidence, and I will be forever grateful for the protection you have given my family." The blond man offered an uncertain smile.

"Your wife saved my life last year, Lucius. I do not forget. Your family suffered at the hands of Tom Riddle as many others did. However, that does not absolve you of your own actions."

"Of course not. I regret everything, but I cannot change the past. I must focus on the future, to ensure that Draco does not go through life suffering because of my crimes. He is lucky to be alive, I think, and I do not wish for his life to be destroyed by mine."

"What's this got to do with Harry?" Ron demanded, before Harry could speak. He was perhaps being a little insensitive, only now learning to recognise these occasions, but he never forgave Draco for what he had done at school, or Lucius for almost killing his little sister.

"I wish to help catch my former... colleagues. If I hear of anything, I will pass it directly to you." Lucius spoke quietly, staring at the wall rather than meeting either Auror's eyes.

"And?" Harry prompted, sensing that there was more. He was correct, and realised very quickly that what he was to hear next he wasn't going to like. Lucius Malfoy shifted in his chair, making it creak slightly, clearly uncomfortable.

"You must understand, I do this at great personal risk, Mr Potter. This must be kept between us." When he spoke, the blond man was looking directly at Ron.

"Of course." Harry prompted.

"I know nothing of the details. All I know is that it has something to do with a teacher, at Hogwarts. The school could be in danger, perhaps their target is someone else, I do not know. But something is coming."

Harry didn't speak for quite some time. He wasn't sure what to say to that, for a start. He found it hard to trust Lucius Malfoy, for numerous reasons. How could he be sure that this was not some kind of trick or trap? He surveyed the blond man with a passive expression, hoping that something would jump out at him and scream 'He's lying, don't listen!'. When that didn't happen, he shot a glance at Ron, finding his own feelings etched on his best friend's face. Then he spoke,

"Thank you for telling me this. We'll look into it, keep an eye out for things. Is there anything else?" He only asked out of politeness, Harry really wanted to get Malfoy out of there so that he could discuss all of this with Ron, and write to Hermione.

"No. I don't suppose there is. If I find out anything else, I will be in touch."

"Thank you, Mr Malfoy."

Ron got up and saw Lucius to the door, holding it open until he had left. Then he closed and locked it, before turning to Harry.

"Never heard you speak as formally as that before, mate."

Harry stared for a moment, and then laughed. He shook his head and gave a shrug.

"That's the best way to talk to someone like him. Saves arguments and snark. So... what do you think?"

"I dunno, Harry. Sounds dodgy to me. I know he owes you and everything, but I wouldn't put it past a Malfoy to doublecross you or lie to you, y'know?"

"Yeah," Harry gave a nod, "Sounds like I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't. Either way, we've got a problem."

"He said something about Hogwarts..."

"About a teacher, yeah. I think I'll write a letter to Hermione, tell her what happened. A brain like hers could shed some light on this."

Ron gave a little fond smile. "If she doesn't curse you for disrupting her NEWT revision. Send her my love,"

Harry chuckled and pulled out a sheet of parchment and his quill. It took him a while to scribble down everything Lucius had said and all his own thoughts about it. He included Ron's love, and a hello to Ginny, who had already threatened to curse him if he sent another pointless owl during revision time. This was a threat to take seriously, even for the one who vanqished The Dark Lord, Ginny was rather scary when she was angry.

* * *

The Gryffindor common room was fairly empty. Most students were still eating dinner or in the library. Hermione Granger was sitting at one of the tables, reading through a pile of Transfiguration notes and a textbook at the same time. Ginny Weasley sat beside her, looking up counter-curses in a thick leather-bound book. The silence was interrupted by a tap at the window. When the tapping became too persistent to ignore, Hermione gave an exasperated sigh and looked up to see a tiny owl staring at her and tapping the glass.

"That looks like Pig," Ginny observed, also watching the little owl.

Hermione got up and opened the window, taking the letter from Pigwidgeon's leg. The little owl proceeded to fly laps around the room, hooting happily and distracting others from their studies. Hermione looked at the envelope with a frown. She didn't usually get owls from Ron or Harry this late, unless they had something important to tell her. Usually important also meant bad so this was unlikely to make her feel better about anything. She hadn't joined them as an Auror because she wanted to finish her education, but she was kept up to date on the hunt for the remaining Death Eaters.

"That's Harry's handwriting," she muttered, retaking her seat as she broke the seal and opened the envelope. Ginny watched curiously as her friend read the letter quickly, frowning at the look on Hermione's face. It didn't seem to be good news.

"Is he okay? Has something happened?" the red-head demanded.

"Yeah, he's fine. He says 'hello'. Uhm...," Hermione looked around furtively then handed the parchment to Ginny, "You'd better read it for yourself."

"I don't like the sound of this," Ginny said, once she'd finished reading. "I wouldn't trust _him_ as far as I could throw Hagrid. I hope he's being careful."

"Should we tell Professor McGonnagall?" Hermione asked.

"No. We'd only worry her, besides, Harry said not to worry, and just focus on our exams. I just hope he's going to be sensible about this."

"I'm sure he will be. I suppose we ought to just wait and see what happens." Hermione replied, accepting the letter back from Ginny and tucking it away inside her robes before returning to her revision. She couldn't concentrate quite as well, part of her brain was going over what Harry had said, trying to figure out what it might be. She hadn't noticed anything strange in the school all year. Hermione was sure she'd have spotted anything amiss, considering the number of odd events that had featured in her first six years in the school. Lucius Malfoy suddenly turning up did not bode well, especially when he was carrying a warning.

Once her study was finished for the night she pulled out a sheet of parchment and scribbled a reply to Harry. Pigwidgeon fluttered around her, hooting excitedly. He'd clearly waited for a reply. Finally she finished writing, rolled up the letter and sealed it with her wand. She called Pigwidgeon down, grumbling at him as she fumbled with the roll of parchment, trying to attach it to the excitable little owl's leg. Once successful, she sent the owl on his way, watching him fly across the pale orange sky until he had disappeared. It was getting close to midnight, she realised, as the sun had almost set. Marvelling at how long the days were during the late spring, she closed the window and made her way up to the dormitory. Her mind felt more at ease, as she thought of what she'd told Harry. She slept well, still thinking of that letter.

_"Dear Harry,_

_Thank you for letting me know about this, it's a bit more important than NEWTS so don't worry. I won't curse you, this time. I hope you're not too worried. I haven't noticed anything odd at all, I'd have told you if I had. Gin and I will keep a look out though, I am a bit concerned that this might be a trap or a trick of some sort. I know you vouched for his change of heart, but I still wouldn't trust him. I think, as you said, the best idea would be to just wait and see what happens. I miss you and Ron. Stay safe, and don't forget there's a Hogsmeade weekend the day after our exams finish. You should try to come, it would be nice to see you again and I know Ginny would love to see you as well. Tell Neville I said 'hello' and give Ron my love. Be careful. I mean it. _

_Love,_

_Hermione xxx"_


	2. Stranger Things Have Happened

A/N: Hi. Sorry for the delayed update on this. Couldn't get the plot to fit together, but I'm back on track now. So... have two chapters for the price of one. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Stranger Things Have happened**

Harry Potter was having a very trying day. They'd tracked down a small residence that may have been used by a Death Eater, and emptied it of anything that might be Dark or dangerous, or give an indication of who the owner was. There had been no sign of the owner, but they'd removed every shred of potential evidence. Now there was the job of sifting through it, which was proving to be rather challenging.

"Nev, hey, Neville! You any idea what this is?" Harry asked, holding up a small pot plant, with blood red flowers and short, sickly green tentacles which were covered in thorns. It tried to stick the thorns in his hand, but Harry's dragon-hide gloves were more than a match for it's thorns.

"Put it down, Harry!" Neville called back, running over to the table. Harry quickly put the pot down, at which the tentacles disappeared under the soil, making it look like a perfectly normal plant.

"That's Odin's Rose, it's highly dangerous stuff. It grows on old battlefields, wherever blood has been spilt. It feeds on blood, but the thorns have got a quick acting venom, paralysing, very nasty. Like the Redcap of the plant world. They're illegal to keep, illegal to breed and illegal to trade."

"Yuck, lovely." Harry muttered, frowning at the little plant, which was sitting there innocently, looking like a blood red rose in a pot. It looked quite harmless, but Harry trusted in Neville's Herbology knowledge and if he said not to touch it, Harry would not touch it. Neville was muttering behind him, waving his wand over a glass box. He opened the lid and pointed at the Rose.

"Put it in here, for safe keeping. Odin's Rose is a tricky little thing, can disappear and reappear at will. It plays tricks, trying to catch you off your guard."

Harry picked the plant up, following Neville's instructions to keep it away from his face and placed it in the box, only just dodging one of the tentacles as he removed his hands from the box. Neville closed the lid, with an odd squelchy sound that suggested it was pretty well sealed. He eyed it curiously for a moment.

"We can use that as evidence, at least." Harry shrugged, moving back from the box. The little plant looked angry, apparently it didn't like being confined in a box. It made its feelings clear by slamming it's tentacles violently against the walls of the box, and Harry was sure that if it had a voice, it would be screaming and swearing at him.

"Yeah. It's horrible, and it doesn't have any useful magical properties. No use in potions, or anything else. Unless you want to kill people."

"Okay. We didn't find any other dangerous plants there, did we?" Harry asked.

"There was a Venomous Tentacula in the back garden, and what might have been a Snargaluff pod, but nothing else as dangerous as the Rose. I had them taken away, in case Muggles come calling."

"Great, Neville. I don't feel up to wrestling with any more plants today. What else have we got then?"

"Uh Harry? You'd better take a look at this." Ron was holding up a photograph, frowning at it.

"What?" the dark haired boy asked, walking over to see the photograph. It was a wizarding photo, as the occupant was moving.

"That looks like... Sirius, does he not?"

"Yeah, kind of. He's a lot younger, though. What's that behind him?" Harry said, looking closely at the photo. He couldn't quite see what he was trying to look at, because the Sirius look-alike kept moving in front of it. It was clearly an old photograph, and Harry couldn't be certain that it was Sirius. Then he caught it. "A snake. This isn't Sirius, it's gotta be Regulus. Why would there be a picture of Regulus, though, he died years ago. He wasn't even involved with the Death Eaters for very long." Harry said, frowning at the figure that looked so much like his late godfather. He walked over to his desk, holding the photo up to one that he kept on the wall above his desk.

"Who's Regulus?" Neville asked curiously, flicking through a large, leatherbound book.

"Sirius' younger brother. He was a Death Eater for a while, then changed his mind and helped our cause by stealing one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. He lost his life in the process, although his family thought he'd been killed by the Death Eaters for desertion. In truth, he sacrificed his own life for a piece of Voldemort's soul. Just like Dumbledore did." Harry explained, sighing. He wished he could tell Sirius what his little brother had done, but perhaps wherever they all were now, Sirius knew the truth about everything. It was a comforting thought.

"Maybe this proves involvement with the Death Eaters? Or knowledge of them at least. Didn't you say that many of them didn't know the identities of all of their colleagues?" Neville said thoughtfully.

Harry nodded, pondering this fact. The photograph was clearly taken in Grimmauld Place, Harry was starting to recognise the bedroom from when they had searched it for the locket. He hadn't dared return to the Black house, it was too risky as the remaining Death Eaters at large could very well have access to it now. It just wasn't safe. He and Ron were sharing a flat in London, near Diagon Alley. Ron liked this, because it meant he could spend time with George. They weren't sure how well he was coping with the loss of his twin, but Ron spent as much time as he could helping out in the shop and keeping George company.

"It's a bit strange though, the photo was taken in his bedroom at home. He looks to be still at school age here. Maybe it's one of his Slytherin housemates from school," Harry suggested.

"I thought Sirius was in Gryffindor," Neville said, "He shared a dorm with my dad."

Harry grinned. "Sirius was a bit of a black sheep in the family. The rest of his family were pure-blood maniacs, Narcissa Malfoy was a Black. She was Bellatrix' sister."

"Huh. Athough I suppose all the pureblood families are interrelated. There's so few of them now... Not that it matters, of course." Neville replied, turning back to one of the boxes, which was now whistling loudly.

* * *

When they arrived home that evening, both Harry and Ron collapsed into the comfortable armchairs. They were exhausted after such a busy day. Harry wanted to sleep, but he knew he was better off eating something so eventually set about putting together a meal for them both. They didn't chat much about what had happened during the day, instead discussing their plans for the weekend. Harry was glad it was Friday tomorrow.

He was just dozing off on the sofa when he heard Ron shout his name. He looked up groggily to see Ron carrying an owl. He wasn't expecting any post, Hermione had already replied to his letter from last night, and she'd sent Pig. He looked at the handsome eagle owl, wondering why it looked familiar. He got up and walked over.

"It's for you, mate." Ron said, handing him a parchment envelope. He frowned at the handwriting on the front, he didn't recognise it at all. It didn't have an address on it either, just his name. He turned it over and broke the seal, pulling out a slip of parchment.

"Well, who's it from, Harry?" Ron asked, staring at the back of the letter with curiosity. Harry didn't answer, he simply read through the letter twice and handed it to Ron to read himself.

_Dear Mr Potter,_

_As much as I would rather do anything else, we must talk. We will have to meet somewhere safe, where we cannot be overheard. I have important information from my father which he insists that I pass on to you. I will say no more here, but I will explain all when we meet. It is important that we meet in the Muggle world. There is a nightclub near the Leaky Cauldron, I will be waiting for you in there from midnight. They don't let anyone in after 1am, so be prompt. If you feel you must, bring the Weasel with you. Just be there, tomorrow night. _

_Draco Malfoy_

_P.S. Don't tell anyone about this meeting! I cannot run the risk of being found out. Do not tell anyone else, especially by owl post, and by that I mean Granger. Do not reply to this owl, just be there tomorrow night. _

"Are you going?" Ron asked.

"I think I have to. Come with me, Ron. I know what he said, but I'd rather you were there."

"Harry, I don't like this. Getting involved with the Malfoys will mean nothing but trouble."

"I know, but I need to know what's going on and the only way we'll find out is to go."

"Right, fine. But, we don't have any muggle money, do we?" Ron said, spotting a major problem.

"Yeah, we do. I got some gold changed ages ago, it's only a few galleons worth but that should get us in and a few drinks. We'll blend in well enough." Harry told him. "It was a just-in-case thing."

"Right," Ron said with a sigh. He couldn't think of another reason not to go, and resigned himself to the fact that they were meeting up with Malfoy for a drink and a chat. "Are you going to tell Hermione?"

"No," Harry replied, spotting Ron's expression he added quickly, "Not yet, anyway. He said not to mention this in any letters or anything. It's probably better to go along with it just now, just until we know more."

"I just don't like this, Harry. Something doesn't feel right."

"Yeah, if it's bad enough that someone like Malfoy feels safer in the Muggle world, it can't be good."

* * *

Harry awoke on the Friday morning with a jolt, realising what day it was. It was already a year, and he was sure there would be celebrations everywhere in honour of him. The very thought made him feel sick, he didn't want to celebrate and he didn't want the attention. It was then he remembered that he was going to have something better to do, and thanked anyone who might be listening that it was in the Muggle world. Even if it was Malfoy. Although, at least he could bank on one thing, Malfoy wasn't going to shower him with praise and tell him what a wonderful hero he was. A wry smirk crossed Harry Potter's face at that thought, he never thought he could be grateful for a planned meeting with Draco Malfoy, but there it was.

The truth was, Harry hated being treated like a hero. He had always hated it of course, but he hadn't really prepared himself for the aftermath of his success in defeating Voldemort. Especially as this was no happy accident this time, he'd chosen to shoulder the burden and found himself equal to the task. He was happy at least to have his renewed relationship with Ginny publicised, as it halted the frustrating marriage proposals and stopped women thinking they had a chance with him.

Harry dragged himself out of bed, not sure he was ready to face the day, this day of all days. He was expected at Hogwarts this afternoon, for a rememberance sort of thing. He'd outright refused to make a speech, insisting that he would rather mourn his losses in peace and just be there. At least he'd have his pillars of support, and all of them, while at Hogwarts. They'd protect him from the masses, stop him from being paraded around like a mascot. He _hated_ that. He'd done it because he had to, it was do or die. He left for the Ministry once he was sure he'd calmed himself enough.

Unfortunately, Ron saw straight through it. Hermione was a good influence on him, he was learning tact and learning to be more sensitive to people's feelings. This came with a price, though.

"You alright?"

"Yeah."

"Dreading this afternoon?"

"Yeah."

"Take the cloak?"

"Oh yeah, I can imagine the headlines. Chosen One fails to turn up at rememberance ceremony. Our Saviour Too Good to mourn those who died for him? It's not worth it, Ron. Besides, I couldn't not be there, even if I was technically really there, you know?"

"Uh... I guess. I think. You've got me and Nev, though, we'll save you from the rabid press and crazy fangirls."

"Glad to hear it," Harry replied with a small smile. He was sort of looking forward to being back at Hogwarts, although the temptation of using his Invisibility Cloak was still there. He knew he wouldn't.

"Come on, Harry, Ron, we should get going." Neville interrupted them, ready to leave. The group made their way to Hogwarts by Floo, directly into Professor McGonagall's office. Harry was not up for using any form of wizarding public transport today. Thankfully everything went fairly smoothly for Harry, and remembering was not as painful as it had once been. He was a little surprised to find the Malfoy family there, they didn't speak to him of course, but they were there. Even so, Harry had noticed how pale and drawn Lucius Malfoy looked, and he couldn't help a pang of worry. Something was coming, he'd said, and Harry wasn't sure he was ready to face it.


	3. Not A Social Affair

**Chapter 3 - Not A Social Affair**

Draco Malfoy frowned into his glass. He wasn't sure what the drink exactly was, but he'd heard some Muggle order it and figured it must be a popular enough drink to make him look normal. Jack D and coke, they called it. It tasted okay, but the fizz was weird and made his stomach feel bubbly. Or was that just nerves? In all honesty, Draco was amazed how easy it had been to blend in. He was dressed in Muggle clothing, simple jeans and a black t-shirt. His hair was longer than it had been a year ago, but it still looked good. Besides, that Muggle over there by the bar had longer hair than him. No-one was paying him any attention. He checked his watch again, and realised it was quarter to midnight. Three minutes since he last checked it. He took another sip of his drink and continued Muggle-watching.

Harry led the way into the club, hissing at Ron to shut up. The red-head had not been impressed with the Muggle way of searching people and was whining about his personal space being violated. He was silenced by a nudge from Harry, who was trying to concentrate on the crowd. The place was busy, full of Muggles. Even thought they were unlikely to recognise him, Harry did make an attempt to flatten his hair over the old scar as he looked around for the tell-tale blond hair. He nudged Ron again and nodded towards a table at the back. Draco Malfoy hadn't seen them yet, he was staring at his drink. Harry grabbed Ron and dragged him over to the bar. Buying a drink would be normal in a place like this, he reasoned, so they ought to do that. A minute later the two young men were walking over to Malfoy's table, each carrying a pint of lager and looking slightly uncomfortable.

Draco spotted them approaching, but showed no sign of greeting until they had sat down at his table. Of course the Weasel was here, Draco had mentioned this in his letter. His father had told him how Harry had insisted on Ron's presence at their meeting, and he knew why. He couldn't help being a little offended, but his rational side reminded him that he hadn't exactly given Potter much reason to trust him.

"You made it then?" he said, realising someone would have to start a conversation.

"Obviously," Ron snapped.

"Good. Let's keep this brief."

"Afraid the Muggles might infect you?" Ron hissed a challenge, glaring at Harry a second later.

"Ron, shut it. We're not here to start fights." Harry hissed back, ignoring the dirty looks. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"My father has a message for you. He would have come himself, but he doesn't want to be seen with you in public, or come to the office again. It would look far too suspicious."

"And this doesn't?"

"My father would not be able to cope in the Muggle world, and it's the safest way to do this."

"I'm impressed that you can, Malfoy."

"Just about. Their drinks are weird, their money is made of paper, and everything is so bloody slow."

"Right. Well, get to the point. What's the message?"

"One of the teachers at... at our old school is involved. I don't know who, so don't ask me. They're trying to find out things, about... about the war. We're not sure why. We found a report, that got intercepted, and it was all about the Room."

Harry knew immediately which room. He also knew why that room was so important to the war, since a Horcrux had lain in it for years. He'd handled the thing before he knew what it was, used it to mark where he'd hidden Snape's old potions book after attacking the man sitting in front of him.

"What did they know about it?"

"Where it was, how you opened it. That there was a lot of stuff hidden in it."

"Did they know exactly what it was?"

"Yeah, I told you, a hiding place."

Harry smirked and shook his head. "All that time you spent in there, Malfoy, you never figured it out? That room was a lot more than just a hiding place. It could be anything you wanted. Or rather, needed."

"Yes, well, anyway," Malfoy snapped, trying to ignore the smug expressions the other two wore, "I don't know why they're so interested in it."

"It's an amazing room, who wouldn't be-"

"No. Something doesn't feel right. Does the Room even still work?" Harry said, cutting across Ron's snarky reply.

"What are you talking about, Potter?"

"Fiendfyre. Last year. I saved your life, remember?"

The blonde sighed, finishing off his drink. He had hoped the wizarding world's 'Golden Boy' wasn't low enough to use that against him. They had saved his life though, and Goyle's. Crabbe didn't make it. They'd intended to take Potter straight to the Dark Lord, restore something of his father's dignity. Instead Potter had saved their lives. "How could I forget? I don't know why you did that Potter, but..."

"Yeah, me neither," Ron muttered.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well, putting Potter's hero complex aside, the Room as far as I can gather, is still functional. But I can't say for sure. Why were you in that room anyway? What was so special about it that you had to be there while the Dark Lord's forces were killing your friends?"

It was supposed to be curiousity, but Harry did not interpret it as such. Something snapped, and the fury visible in his eyes was almost palpable. He fixed Malfoy with a furious stare, his hands trembling with suppressed rage. Even Ron looked scared, and he knew the answers to all those questions. A ringing silence seemed to go on forever, somehow blocking out the music and noise of the club. Finally, it was broken by a single word.

"Horcrux." The word was spat out with venom. There was a new quality to Harry Potter's voice, one that Draco had never noticed before and didn't want to hear again. Especially if it was directed at him.

Malfoy stared in shock for a moment, casting around for some way to calm the situation, before Potter attacked him or something. The atmosphere was incredibly tense, the next thing he said could either relax it or snap it like an overstretched elastic band. Hopefully it would be the former, because a full blown duel was probably not a good idea in these surroundings.

"I'm sorry, I was just curious. I didn't mean to be so... Sorry." He mumbled his apologies, cringing inwardly at how pathetic his voice sounded. It seemed to work though, as something gave way. He chanced a glance at Potter's face, startled by the pain reflected in those bright green eyes.

"Pass my thanks to your father. I am not sure what use this is just now but I will look into what you've told me." When Harry spoke, his voice was strangely formal. Draco could do no more than give a curt nod in reply. "If there's nothing else, we'll be going now."

"Someone will be in touch if there's anything else." Draco watched them stand up, suddenly remembering he did have something else. He placed a folded napkin on the table, sliding it towards the other two men.

Harry frowned and picked it up, shooting Malfoy a curious look. He unfolded it and glanced at what was inside. It was an address, written in the same handwriting as the letter, which Harry now took to be Draco Malfoy's own. He glanced at the name written above the address and felt his blood run cold. Lestrange... It couldn't be, could it? She was gone. He looked back at Malfoy silently questioning him, while stuffing the napkin in his pocket. He'd show it to Ron later. Malfoy gave them a significant look.

"I'd go myself, but... my uncle never did like me. Besides, these things are best left to the proper authorities, are they not?"

* * *

Once again Harry was found chewing on a quill at his desk in the Auror office. It was Saturday, and he was preparing to follow up on the 'anonymous' tip he'd recieved on Friday night. He was reading over the file the office held on Rodolphus Lestrange. He knew there was no risk of his wife being there, Bellatrix had been killed by Molly Weasley a year ago. Rabastan, his brother, was also dead, but he'd been killed when they cornered him in Knockturn Alley by a rebounding curse. What Harry was reading, made him feel sick, his morning coffee growing slowly cold beside a pile of parchment. This one was dangerous, and he'd slipped off the radar after the final battle. He hadn't been seen since Bellatrix fell, in fact.

Harry paused when he read the name Longbottom. He'd discussed the plan with the Minister, and Kingsley suggested a small group of them went ahead, with back-up close by, so as not to cause a huge scene. Harry was going to take Ron and Neville with him, and keep some of the other Aurors on stand-by. But he hadn't yet told Neville who they were expecting to find, although he thought it would be a good idea. He hadn't had a minute yet, but hopefully he could do it before lunch. They would be going on Monday to follow this up, and it was important that they were all prepared. Especially Neville, who could either lose his nerve completely or be entirely and scarily focused when facing the last of the four Death Eaters who had essentially taken away his parents. Neville was strong, and worked well with his new-found confidence, although there were still occasions when he'd succumb to his fear. They couldn't know what to expect, which was the most worrying thing.

"Harry, are you ready?"

"For what?"

"Uh... Hogsmeade, Weekend, Hermione and Ginny? Ringing any bells?"

"Oh! Yeah, I forgot about that."

"I'd keep that to yourself, mate. Let's go."

Harry nodded and dropped his quill on the desk, pulling his summer cloak off the back of his chair as he got up. He liked this cloak, it was almost as light as his Invisibility Cloak, and it worked better for keeping the sun off than for keeping him warm. There was still a slight chill in the air, though, so the cloak was ideal for the mild May weather. Besides, it would be a little colder in Hogsmeade, Scotland was always a few degrees cooler at this time of year.

"Ron, have you seen Neville? I need to talk to him before we go."

"No, I... oh, there he is."

Luckily Neville had just walked into the office, and looked at Ron confusedly.

"Yeah, it's me. What's up?"

"I just wanted a quick word with you about Monday. We've had an anonymous tip off about a possible Death Eater residence... we think it's Rodolphus Lestrange. I just wanted to make sure you were alright with coming with us."

Neville was silent for a moment, taken aback by the suddeness of this request. Slowly, he nodded. "Of course. I'll be glad to help you catch him, Harry."

"Monday, we're planning to go. I'll tell you the plan at the briefing in the morning."

"Alright. I'd better get home, Gran needs my help with something."

"Sure, Neville. Have a good weekend, and we'll see you on Monday."

"Yeah, see you, Harry, Ron."

Neville went back to his desk to get ready to leave, and Harry threw on his cloak before following Ron out of the office and down to the Floo fires. He was looking forward to this afternoon, he'd hopefully be able to relax a bit. It would be nice to see Ginny again, he mused, and chat to Hermione of course.

When they arrived in the Three Broomsticks, the girls were already waiting. Harry noted something about Hermione when she greeted them, her smile seemed just a little bit forced. He was pretty certain that it wasn't because of revision either.

"You alright, Hermione?" He asked worriedly.

"Yes, but... we should probably talk somewhere private," she said, glancing around at the tables full of students, many of whom were staring at the two couples with some interest.

"Let's take a walk, it's a nice day," Ron suggested, nodding towards the door. The group walked along the street, heading for the path out into the mountains. When they were sure to be along, Hermione stopped them and pulled a letter out of her pocket.

"I got this, today," she began, "From Lucius Malfoy. He said that there may come a time when Draco will turn up at Hogwarts, looking for me. If it happens, I've got to tell Professor McGonagall to contact you first, and then I should listen to what he's got to tell me."

"Great, more vague hints from the Malfoys. I swear, if this is some elaborate plot to kill Harry..."

"Hush, Ron. If he'd wanted to do something to Harry, I'm pretty sure he'd have done it by now," Ginny said, shooting a glare at her brother.

"Well, we'll know for sure on Monday if they're reliable. Ron and I met up with Malfoy for a drink, last night. He gave us more cryptic messages, about someone investigating the Room of Requirement, and a tip off about a former Death Eater. We're going to check it out on Monday. He insisted we meet in the Muggle world for safety, but his father wouldn't be seen dead in a place like that. I hate all these hints, it's was so much easier when..." he trailed off, realising his rant was pointless."

"When, what?" Hermione prompted, pretty sure she knew what was coming.

"When I knew who I was fighting against."


	4. Too Easy

A/N: Hello, and sorry for the delay in updating. Real life crap, mostly. Again, to make up for it, I'm posting two chapters. Thanks to my three reviewers, comments are appreciated. I'm a bit confused about Puppylover06's question, but as I can't reply to an anonymous review, I'll ask here what you're confused about. It's meant to be suspenseful, so I guess there will be things going on that don't make much sense. I assure you that everything will make sense by the end. I'll try to be more regular with updates from now on, I'm currently working on Chapter 10 of this. I like this chapter though, it amused me to write. All I can say is enjoy.

Oh yeah, and the shameless advertising bit. I've started up an RP, set in the Harry Potter universe. Virtually all canons are available, and we need players to get started. It's an AU, and should be quite dark but fun. Check the link in my profile for Blood, War and Magic.

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Too Easy**

The following Monday found Harry Potter sitting at his desk, chewing on the end of a quill as was becoming customary. He ran a hand through his untidy hair, letting out yet another sigh. He wasn't sure he was ready for this, he was too jittery to be facing a Death Eater right now. He looked again at the napkin Malfoy had given him. It had to be Rodolphus Lestrange, husband of Bellatrix. The verbal clues were enough, and Harry was sure that Bellatrix was dead. Harry felt slightly sick as he thought about this latest trip. He wasn't even sure if the address was real, although he'd tried to find out. No witch or wizard was registered as living at this address, so it had to be a Muggle home at some point. What would they find?

"You ready to go?" Ron asked, looking a little paler than usual. When Harry was nervous it made him nervous too. They were actually following a tip off from a Malfoy, and there was an unspoken worry that it might be a trap.

"Ready as I'll ever be. Where's Neville?"

"Waiting outside for us. Come on, we've done this before. We'll be fine."

Harry gave a nod, throwing his quill down on the desk and grabbing up his wand. The surveillance showed that there seemed to be only one occupant of the house, which was good. However, one disturbing report from about 2am mentioned hearing screaming coming from inside, and possibly two shadows moving around inside. Harry had discussed the matter with Kingsley Shacklebolt, and opted to go for a smaller number of Aurors, namely himself, Ron and Neville. However there would be another group on alert just in case back-up was needed. Harry hoped they wouldn't be necessary, but if Rodolphus was anything like his late wife, this could be difficult. Neville was quietly determined though, his jaw was set and his eyes dark... Harry knew this was personal for him.

The three young Aurors apparated into a street round the corner from their destination, appearing in the back garden of an empty house. They would be difficult to see, of course, because of the Disillusionment charms. They walked in silence towards the house, watching for any odd signs. Nothing happened and they had reached the front door. Not a sound came from inside the house, which was more worrying than anyone wanted to say. Harry steeled himself for the next part, raising his wand and unlocking the door.

An awful smell sent them reeling, a damp, musty, rotting smell. It was the smell of a dead body, and it chilled Harry Potter's blood. A snore penetrated the silence, suggesting that there was also a body here that wasn't dead. Harry was surprised that he hadn't woken them, he'd been expecting some sort of Anti-Intruder Charm or something. Indicating to the other two to follow him and stay silent, he walked carefully down the hallway, following the sounds of the snores. This room, he decided, had to be the one. The loud grunts and snorts seemed to make the door shake. Quietly, Harry opened the door, again startled to find that it was unlocked.

A man lay on top of the double bed, carefully wrapped in his travelling cloak as if fearing contamination from the muggle's bed. He slept deeply, Harry mused, because the creaking door didn't even cause a halt in the horrendous noise issuing from the sleeping Death Eater. Rodolphus Lestrange was sound asleep. His snores sounded genuine to Harry, so he made his move.

"Incarcerous!" He shouted, sending ropes to disable the man. Lestrange let out a roar, but he was tied up tightly before he was properly awake. He held his wand in his hand still, but Neville moved fast.

"Expelliarmus!" Neville caught the wand deftly, giving Harry a pleased smile he couldn't see. The three Aurors quickly removed their Disillusionment charms, they didn't need to hide now.

"Potter! How the-"

"Never mind how, Lestrange. There's a cell waiting in Azkaban for you, and you'll have plenty of time to finish your little nap." With that, Harry called in the back-up group of Aurors to take Lestrange to Azkaban while he searched the rest of the house.

"I think that was the easiest one yet," Ron observed, chuckling.

"Yeah. Maybe a little too easy," Harry said quietly, still wrinkling his nose at the smell. He opened another door, gagging as the smell immediately became stronger. He caught sight of a blood-covered arm and turned away.

"H-harry. What's- what is that?" Neville stuttered, coming up behind them.

"I think it's the owner of the house. She's been dead for days," Harry said thickly, suppressing another wave of nausea as he peered through the doorway. "Muggle, by the looks of it." He had noticed a television in the room Lestrange had been sleeping.

"Why do you think it's too easy?" Ron clearly wasn't to be distracted. Harry gave a sigh.

"You know where the tip-off came from, Ron. He never had any defensive spells up or anything. There's something off about this."

"You're getting paranoid in your old age, Potter."

Harry cringed at the lazy drawl, he knew it anywhere. Malfoy. What was he doing here? Harry turned, and barely registered a wand being raised on either side of him.

"When did you ever give me a reason to trust you, Malfoy."

"Oh come now, that's a little harsh," the blonde drawled again.

"Why did you come here, Malfoy?" Neville demanded with a flourish of his wand, surprising all three of them.

"To make sure Potty and the Weasel did their jobs, Longbottom. That's all."

No-one said anything for a moment, but simply stared at each other. Until Malfoy let out a snort of laughter.

"I can't believe you caught him asleep. To think, I used to respect people like him," he said, still smirking. "What's that smell anyway?"

"The owner of the house. She's been dead a while."

"Muggle?" Draco enquired casually, although he did look slightly nauseated.

"Does it matter?" Harry challenged, just daring Draco to say something.

"I don't suppose it does, Potter. Let's all be civil here, alright."

Harry wasn't sure exactly what it was, but something about the way Draco Malfoy spoke stirred up a rush of memories, and something snapped. Before anyone else could react, the blond man was against the wall, Harry's hand around his throat and the holly wand in his face.

"Harry! What are you doing?"

Harry didn't hear Ron's shouts, he was too angry to notice. Every paranoid thought about Malfoy came back to him, years of hatred and anger filled him and he was close to breaking point.

"What are you playing at, Malfoy? Tell me what's going on!" Harry growled, staring into the other young man's terrified grey eyes.

"I'm try-trying to help, P-potter," Malfoy spluttered, fighting to pull Harry's strong hand away from his neck. "D-don't... please!"

That did it. Harry let go and stepped back, shocked at what he'd done. He jumped when he felt Ron's hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. The fear in Malfoy's voice, in his eyes, had brought Harry back to reality with a thud and made him realise what he'd done. It was fairly unusual for Harry to lose his temper like that, but he seemed to be more violent every time it happened, and that scared Harry Potter more than anything.

"What was that all about, Potter?"

Harry opened his mouth to apologise, but the words wouldn't come. Instead he tried to explain why he'd done it. "He... Don't you see it? He sounded exactly like his father. It was like..." he couldn't go on, and again tried to shake off the memories.

"Like what, Harry?" Ron persisted, ignoring Malfoy's scowling.

"The Department of Mysteries," Harry whispered, feeling ashamed. "Exactly the same."

Neville and Draco both stepped back, confused and a little scared. Ron sighed, understanding exactly where that had come from.

"I know, Harry, but he can't help looking like his father, nor sounding like his father. It's the same reason you look like your father, the same reason we've all got flaming red hair. He might be a git, but he's helped us catch up with Lestrange." Ron spoke as if Draco Malfoy wasn't standing there, but when the blonde spoke up, his voice carried a distinct hint that he was impressed.

"Looks like Granger's been a good influence on you Weasley, that was quite insightful, for you." Of course it would not be Draco Malfoy if the compliment hadn't been disguised as an insult.

"I'm sorry, M- Draco. Won't happen again." Harry just caught himself, deciding quickly that he'd sound more respectful by using Draco's given name. He still wasn't sure exactly what came over him.

"Ooh, that sounded painful, Potter. I appreciate it though, we're on the same side now, yeah? Redemption, or repentance, or something like that." Draco waved a hand airily, relaxing now the violence seemed to be over.

"Anyway, I did have something else to tell you. People are trying to follow the trail of the Elder Wand," Harry shot him a sharp look at this point, "But for some reason, nobody seems to be aware of the truth, even though a large number of witnesses heard you shout it across the Great Hall. Guess they forgot that part, huh?"

"Sounds like it, but I'm sure most people wouldn't have understood half of what I said to him anyway."

"True. Anyway, it means that I myself will have to take more care, in case they figure out the truth. Or enough of it. But you should know... they tried to get their hands on Severus' remains. They destroyed his house too, down Spinners End. Labelled him as a traitor."

"He was on our side the whole time. I don't think anyone else could have done what he did."

"What, kill Dumbledore?"

"Well, we know you couldn't," Harry retorted sharply, "But... no. He... that was... Dumbledore was dying anyway. He asked Snape to... do it, I guess he knew even then that you wouldn't be able to. He left it to Snape to help me, believe it or not. Who else could have stayed so well in Voldemort's good books while still helping me? I don't think anyone else could actually get away with lying to Voldemort."

"And he did? He hated you."

"Oh yes, he did."

"Which one?"

"Both. It's like what Ron said. I looked too much like my father, and Severus Snape hated James Potter. But he chose his side when Voldemort killed my mother."

Nobody had an answer to that and the four young men stood in silence, reflecting on the war that they'd been too young to fight in. Still, all that was left was to pick up the pieces, surely. Except someone was investigating their success, and Harry could only wonder why. Surely the details didn't matter now?

"Did they... I mean, what happened."

"They were stopped. I don't know why, or who stopped them. Look, I have to get going. You'll hear from me soon enough, I expect." With that, Draco turned on the spot and vanished.

* * *

The following Thursday arrived and Harry found himself still working on the paperwork that was produced by Rodolphus Lestrange's arrest. There hadn't been much to find at the house, aside from the poor Muggle owner, and her cat, which had been found in the bath, in a puddle of blood and ginger fur. The hard part was coming up with an explanation for the Muggle police, who were sure to investigate when the unfortunate woman's family and friends noticed she was missing. It was late afternoon, and Harry's hair was messier than usual. His shirt sleeves were rolled up and his quill had been chewed to practically nothing. He chanced a glance over at Ron's desk, wondering if he was having better luck.

"They never mention this in the job description, do they?" Ron said, catching Harry's eye and smiling sympathetically.

"The tedious hours of form-filling? Nope. Should have known it wasn't going to be all fighting and chasing down the bad guys."

"At least we got him, Harry. That's one more Death Eater off the list." Neville said, having just arrived back in the office, carrying cups of coffee for the three of them.

"Thanks, Neville. I've been needing a coffee. And you're right. We did get him. As much as I hate the idea of owing Malfoy a favour..."

"Mr Potter! Thank goodness you're still here. Urgent call, an attack in progress!" A young witch had thrown the door open and was waving a sheet of parchment as she shouted. She all but ran over to Harry's desk, thrusting the paper at him. "You have to go now!"

"Where?" Ron asked, since clearly they couldn't go until they knew where they were going.

"Malfoy Manor, it's in Wiltshire. Emergency Portkey, you'll never find it by apparition." The blonde girl dropped an old tin kettle on the desk as well. Nothing else needed to be said, all three young Aurors touched the kettle and were whisked away, to arrive on a quiet hill side. At least, until they heard the first bang. The three of them ran up to the gate, not stopping to admire the impressive building that was Malfoy Manor. As they approached, Harry pointed his wand at the gate, blasting it open so they could get straight inside. Just as they reached the front door, a flash of green light caught their attention, from one of the downstairs windows. Harry was pretty certain that green light could only come from a Killing Curse. More Aurors arrived as he yanked open the heavy front door and the group rushed inside, splitting up to search for the attackers.

Ron pulled open a door, hearing a lot of noise coming from behind it and the three young men found themselves in the drawing room, which was sickeningly familiar to Ron and Harry. They ran in, but stopped suddenly. There was no-one here. Except Lucius Malfoy, who was lying at an awkward angle on the floor, covered in dust and blood. He wasn't breathing. There wasn't much time to think about it, when one of the tables came charging at them, apparently rather angry for a piece of furniture.


	5. Mayhem at the Manor

**Chapter 5 - Mayhem at the Manor**

The blond man watched the silvery light make it's way up the hill towards the castle with a frown, wishing his Patronus could move faster. He was glad he'd learned this spell, it had proven itself useful. His breathing was ragged, his fists were clenched and the occasional blood drop fell from his cheek, landing on the grass. He had to get into the school now, he had to find Hermione Granger and warn her. Something was coming, his father had told him, and now it was here.

Draco continued to watch, peering into the darkness for some sign of movement. He frowned when finally faced with Professor McGonagall and that old oaf Hagrid. He stared at them expectantly, waiting for them to open the gate.

"We cannot let you in, Mr Malfoy. We've had orders to contact the Auror office should you turn up here," Minerva stated calmly.

"But you have to, it's important! I need to see Granger, quickly."

"Not until we've heard from the Aurors, Draco. I'm sorry."

"But-"

"Yeh'll just have teh wait, Malfoy. Won' be long," Hagrid told him firmly.

The second he had finished speaking, a loud crack ripped through the air, bringing the sound of panting with it. Draco turned to see none other than Harry Potter himself standing beside him, breathing hard. There was silence for a moment, while Harry caught his breath. The dark haired young man stood up straight, fixing Malfoy with a furious glare.

"Where the hell have you been? We've been hunting everywhere for you, Malfoy. We came to help, do you even-"

"Yes, Potter. I know what happened. My father told me that I should come straight here to warn Granger if the worst should happen."

"Harry, what's goin' on here?" Hagrid interrpted, quelling the argument.

"There's been an attack at Malfoy Manor. The place is virtually destroyed. Something's going on, perhaps we should talk." Harry's answer was more directed towards Professor McGonagall.

"Should I wake Miss Granger?"

"Yes, please. Ginny as well, I need to speak with her." Harry replied. "Ron and Neville will be arriving once they've finished."

"I'll wait here for 'em, Headmistress, so there's no delay." Hagrid offered.

"Very well," Minerva said, nodding to Hagrid and opening the gate to admit the two young men and lighting her wand to aid them in walking back to the castle. This allowed her to catch a glimpse of the pair. "Are you sure you don't wish to visit the hospital wing first?" she asked, nodding towards a deep looking gash on Harry's arm. Draco rolled his eyes but oddly Harry grinned.

"I do miss Madam Pomfrey's lectures about getting myself into trouble, I'll go straight there while we wait for the others," he said wryly, shooting Malfoy a look that clearly said 'You're coming with me.'

"Feel free to proceed to my office when you are finished. The password is 'Butterscotch.' "

Harry grinned, "I like it, it's very traditional." He ignored Malfoy's curious look and headed off towards the hospital wing. Draco followed, frowning mutinously.

"What's traditional?" he demanded after a moment.

"Professor Dumbledore always used sweets as passwords. Especially muggle sweets." Harry told him.

"Why am I not surprised. Why have I got to stay with you? I can find the hospital wing on my own." Draco snapped.

"Because I don't think it's safe to let you wander around this school without Auror supervision. Something serious is going on and your family seem to be at the centre of it."

"Not anymore, now that my father is..."

"I know," Harry said kindly, "And I'm sorry. Believe me when I say that I understand. I am sorry that Lucius is dead, and I intend to do all in my power to find out why and catch whoever did it. That doesn't mean that I trust you, or him. Just because... it doesn't change what he did. Or what you did. I won't forget, Draco."

"What about forgiving?"

"That remains to be seen. Come on, you're in a bit of a state." Harry said, pushing him gently through the doors to the Hospital Wing. He quickly explained the situation to Madam Pomfrey, who immediately launched into a tirade about dangerous pursuits while fussing over the pair of them, healing cuts and deciding on potions.

"I'm an Auror, it's a risk of the job," Harry insisted, getting frustrated but also rather enjoying the lecture. It felt almost like home.

"Harry Potter, you would end up with a job that'll get you into trouble, honestly. You need a quiet life." the matron chided him before walking off to root around in a large cabinet.

"So why are we waiting for Weasley and Longbottom?" Malfoy demanded after a moment.

"Because, they're helping me round up the Death Eaters and re-organise the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"Will you ever stop being a hero, Potter?"

"Shut up, Malfoy, and count how many times I saved your sorry a-"

"No swearing, Mr Potter, this is a hosptal." Madam Pomfrey interrupted again, pushing a glass of some green, bubbling potion into his hands. "And no arguing either, Mr Malfoy," she added, cutting off the blond man's response with a blue potion. "Right, that gash was awfully deep, I don't know what did it but it will take a day or two to heal completely. Aside from that, you both ought to be fine. Why are you here anyway?"

"We need to see the Headmistress about something, that's all. Thanks Madam Pomfrey, as always." Harry said quickly, getting to his feet and grabbing Draco's arm.

"I'm sure this won't be the last time, Mr Potter."

* * *

Harry knocked on the door of the Head's Office, opening the door when he heard the Headmistress call. Malfoy was behind him, the quietest he'd been the whole way up from the hospital wing. Harry ignored him for the most part, feeling a mixture of guilt, anger and sorrow for the young man. Harry knew what it was like to lose family, friends, people he cared about. There was nothing he could say that would help, there was nothing anyone could say. So he left it. It was far too complicated right now.

"Harry!" Hermione squeaked, pouncing on him and enveloping him in a tight hug. Harry returned the hug, wondering if he would ever breathe again. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine-"

"What happened to your arm?" Ginny demanded, inspecting the wound. Harry pulled away sharply with a small hiss, his arm stinging where she'd touched it.

"Got into a scuffle with a dining table, but don't worry. It'll heal by tomorrow," Harry explained, putting his arms around her and taking comfort from her familiar scent. He kissed the top of her head, then let her go and took a seat.

"Take a seat, Mr Malfoy, have a biscuit," Minerva said quite sharply. Draco was frowning as he watched the exchange, jealous not because of who it was, but because it was something he'd been missing. He sat down and took a Ginger Newt from the tin on the desk, thinking it was a great excuse to avoid speaking.

"So, Harry, what is going on?" Professor McGonnagall asked, turning her attention back to the others. Harry sighed, he knew he'd have to fill them in before Ron and Neville arrived.

"We were called out to Malfoy Manor tonight, someone had reported an attack, although they did so annonymously. We arrived to find the place in semi-ruins, and had to battle with enchanted furniture and a few nasty creatures. We got inside, found our way to the drawing room. We found..." Harry paused and glanced sideways at Draco before continuing, "Lucius Malfoy's body on the floor. We searched but couldn't find Narcissa or anyone else. Neville spotted Draco just before he disapparated, and we checked again. Then, as you know, I heard from Hagrid that Draco had turned up here, so I made my way here immediately."

"I see. Who might have done this? You yourself gave evidence that Lucius had... changed," Professor McGonnagall said, a small frown on her face.

"I don't know. I have my suspicions that it might have something to do with... there's something else. About a month ago, Lucius came to see me at the Ministry, to warn me of a new danger. He didn't know much, but he said that a teacher was involved."

"A teacher? Here? In what way?"

"We don't know. Nothing strange has come to your attention, Headmistress?"

"Nothing. Is that why Mr Malfoy came here tonight, demanding to speak to Miss Granger?"

"Yes," Draco answered, realising it was time for him to speak, "Last week, my father told me that if anything happened to him, I was to come straight to Hogwarts and speak to G- Hermione. I'm not sure of the meaning of his message, but he said it was important. I suppose it'll be fine to tell you all what he said. He told me that there were questions being asked about Regulus Black. And... they wanted to know how he was connected to Harry Potter."

"Who's 'they'?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know. Father hears things, being who he was, he's still in touch with several people. Not Death Eaters," he added quickly, looking alarmed, "Just people with contacts underground. They wanted to find out everything about... about the war. About how a seventeen year old wizard could destroy the most powerful Dark Wizard of the times." He stared at Harry for a moment, wondering if he would get any answers to this question. Harry, meanwhile was staring at the portrait behind Professor McGonnagall. For all intents and purposes, Albus Dumbledore appeared to be asleep in his frame. Harry had a feeling that he was listening.

"A lot of people want to know that," Ginny said, "But I think some things are best kept secret."

Harry nodded his agreement, but he couldn't help wondering... "Why?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think they'd want to bring him back, I doubt he could be," Draco said, shuddering at the thought.

"Definitely not. He's definitely gone. I think the waiting is over, Hermione, we're going to have to look into this more seriously now." Harry said.

At that point, Ron, Neville and Hagrid arrived. The Headmistress quickly filled them in on what Draco had said. The group sat in silence, pondering everything.

"So, where do we start Harry?" Ron asked.

"What about Regulus. That seems to be a strong link."

"We need to find my mother as well," Draco interrupted indignantly.

"You've no idea where she might have gone?" Hermione asked.

"No. I'd have said she'd have gone to her sister, but Aunt Bella is... gone. I didn't even know I had another Aunt until recently."

"She's not likely to have gone to Andromeda, and good thing too. Andromeda's got a toddler to look after." Harry said, thinking sadly about his godson.

"She always said that she felt safest at her Uncle's place, when I was younger. He guarded his home well, so she said."

"Her uncle..." Ginny repeated, then it hit them.

"I know where we need to go." Harry announced.

"Will it be safe, Harry? You always said that you didn't want the Death Eaters sneaking in and smothering you with your pillow." Ron said.

"I'm not planning to move back in just yet, Ron. If we all go... we should be fine."

"Uhm, Harry, our exams start a week on Monday." Hermione reminded him gently.

"Okay. You don't have to come, in fact it might be better that way. If we get into bother, you can come and rescue us, Hermione." Harry said with a grin.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and Ginny looked annoyed. "You better not be getting into bother, Harry Potter. I won't have it!" the red-head snapped, startling everyone.

"Ginny, we'll be safe, I promise. You just focus on these exams for now, " Harry assured her, feeling a squirm of guilt.

"Fine, but if you end up dead, I'll kill you," she replied sharply.

"It's a deal."


End file.
